Winter brings a unique set of challenges to dressing window boxes. Heavy winds and snow, constant cycles of freeze and thaw can play havoc with any outdoor decor. As the scenery grows more stark, however, the yearning for greenery increases. Dressing window boxes can fulfill this need.

With some creative planning, your window box display will last the winter season until spring. The basic setup should be season specific, incorporating local winter evergreens, berries, vines, pine cones and such. Holiday specific items can be changed out.

If you have already taken down your window boxes and left up the brackets, the easiest decorating you can do is use roping greens. Either fresh or artificial, gracefully drape the roping over and attach with wire to the brackets. Fresh greens should be reinforced with wire to protect from wind damage. Decorations can be added to the roping like lights, snowflakes, pine cones, and plastic hearts. A swag or wreath can be center hung from the window sill.

There are two more methods of attaining window box dressing to get you through the winter months. For those that are already in a deep freeze, the shelf display method may be more appropriate. Shelf displays can be assembled indoors and used on existing window box brackets. You will need:

• scrap lumber about 12" wide
• edging (opt)
• paint or stain
• bolts or screws for mounting
• winter greens, berries, vines
• decorative material
• all-weather glue
• staple gun

Cut the scrap lumber to the width of you window. Add edging to 3 sides, front and 2 ends, for decor if desired. Paint or stain to match or contrast your house. You now have what amounts to window mantels for display. Branches of live or artificial evergreens, berries, vines can be stapled to the wooden shelf. A potted small evergreen shrub can be placed among the branches for height. Holiday decorations can be wired or glued. Mount shelves to the window box brackets. Change out decorations for each holiday or use generic seasonal items like snowflakes, pine cones and spray snow. In spring you can discard the shelf and use your window box again.

The other method is to use your window boxes. The best medium to use for winter is sand. It is dense enough to hold branches in place. Once rain or snow has saturated it, it will freeze to hold in branches and keep them fairly fresh until spring. Use local evergreens, berry branches, vines to set up a basic winter display that looks good on its own. This will take your window boxes from winter through the holidays to spring.

For Thanksgiving add fruits and gourds. For Christmas add artificial poinsettias, outdoor ornaments and lights. For New Year's Day add snowflakes. For Valentine's Day add red hearts, white lights and pink bows. You get the idea. Between holidays you can add fruits and seed cakes to feed the wild birds. Come spring, the sand will be a welcome addition to the compost pile. Dressing window boxes for the winter fulfills the need for greenery and the promise of renewed growth in spring.